Time's Optional
by BlackMoonWhiteSky
Summary: Time has certain rules, it obeys certain principles. Unless you're Kel- then that junk goes right out the window. Lucky, really, for the twins. OCxPietro
1. Chapter 1: Undone

**Time has certain rules, it obeys certain principles. Unless you're Kel- then that junk goes right out the window. Lucky, really, for the twins. OCxPietro**

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 **Spoilers!**

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 **This has AoU spoilers. Be aware. They literally happen right out of the box, so don't read unless you've seen the movie. Or don't mind it being spoiled.**

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 **Time's Optional:**

 **Chapter One- Undone:**

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Clint didn't know what to do.

Fighting, killing, getting people out of harm's way- he knew how to do that. But this... He knew there was nothing he could do for someone full of holes. Not even when that someone was a punk kid who'd just saved his life. Not even when he wanted to help with every fiber of his being.

The only thing for him to do was be there.

Look into Pietro's eyes as he died and _be there_ for him.

Only...

His eyes weren't glazed with death.

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-Pietro's POV-

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 _There was pain._

 _So much pain._

 _How could it hurt to exist?_

 _Everything was all wrong._

 _They'd helped, however unwittingly, to make it so._

 _Rage and pain and vengeance._

 _Fear._

 _He could admit the fear now._

 _But they made it right again._

 _Why did it hurt so much?_

 _He didn't want it to hurt anymore._

 _Hadn't he- hadn't Wanda- hadn't they hurt enough?_

 _Why did it still hurt so much?_

 _Had he still not done enough?_

 _Was this his punishment?_

 _If he focused, he could see the man and child he'd just sacrificed himself for._

 _Did it normally take so long to die?_

 _A flash of green, and he knew what must have taken out his killer._

 _He looked at the child._

 _They'd been that old once._

 _It was hard to remember._

 _Hard to believe they'd ever really been children._

 _They'd been together though, and now he suddenly felt alone._

 _Pain._

 _Alone._

Alone _._

 **Alone!**

 _A flash of red- Wanda- not Wanda._

 _Not a face he knew- red jeans._

 _Green eyes in a soft face._

 _Too pale._

 _Red staining a white shirt._

 _Slow movement._

 _Pain in the green eyes._

 _A hand against his face._

 _Calloused fingertips._

 _Smooth palms._

 _A soft voice._

 _He hadn't realized he wasn't hearing anything until he was suddenly hearing her._

"I got you, Handsome."

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-Not Pietro's POV-

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Clint wasn't sure where she came from, was too busy looking at someone who should be dead. Part of him wasn't registering- she wasn't supposed to be there. " _Kel_?" Last he heard, she was recovering from a very severe beat-down.

"Clint." She didn't turn her eyes away from Pietro, her voice staying calm and soothing for the injured man before her, though her head gave a quick bob in acknowledgment. "Hey. Hey, I know it hurts- I'm sorry. I've got you, promise Handsome, but I need you to stay with me, okay?"

That finally had Clint's mind kicking into gear, he was calling for medics when she cut across him, "Wanda. You need to bring Wanda here. I can't-" She cut off, intensifying her attention on the speedster. "I can't do it one at a time right now."

That was when Clint really took her in, she was bleeding, and her stance was awkward, unnatural- he remembered what he'd last heard about her. "You're supposed to have physical therapy before going anywhere near combat." It was not quite an accusation, his tone colored with concern- the psychological therapy went without saying.

Her left shoulder jerked, a shrug- he realized, and her voice was strained when she spoke again, "World ending situations trump personal problems. _Don't touch him!_ " The medic her shout was directed at stepped back uncertainly, wariness clear on his face. "You need to get Wanda here, right now." That was calmer- directed at him- Clint realized.

He sent the boy with Steve and started calling out on the comm to see who could bring the sister. He could see it, now that he was looking, the sinuous movement of the golden energy winding around her forearms. The vines curling delicately away from her to cradle Pietro.

"I'm sorry. I know it hurts. If I could take the hurt away I would. I'm so sorry, Handsome, I was too slow." Pietro stirred then, a quip about everyone being slow dying on his lips before it could be born, her energy flared. "Don't talk, okay? You can talk all you want later."

Another medic hedged forward, but Kel's golden energy flared and struck like a snake, freezing the man in place. "We wait-" a pant, breaths heaving, "for- Wanda." And she took a deep breath and pulled the gold away, Clint supporting the medic until the disoriented man could stand on his own again.

A flash of red, finally, and the twins were side-by-side at last, Wanda called out- reaching for her brother, but freezing at the gasped warning. "You have to get them- all at once." She was trembling now, her gasps even more worrying.

The women spoke no more, Wanda merely focusing on Kel, reading her mind, and then turning to her brother. There was another moment of quiet as her red energy crackled around Pietro, careful not to touch the gold. "Got it."

There was a moment then, most of the observers missed it all together. The gold released, the red flared, receded, the gold took again. "Medics. Move fast." This was punctuated by the _plunk-plunk-plunk_ of bloodied bullets being released by red energy and falling to the ground.

The second the medics touched him the gold energy vanished, blood started flowing from the wounds again, _no one had realized it'd stopped until then_ , and Kel was swaying dangerously on her feet. It was Wanda who caught her, though Clint was only seconds behind. "You have saved my brother's life," there were tears in her eyes, her voice heavy with pain and hope, "thank you."

Kel relaxed, leaning heavily on them, "Hope so- tried- I was- too slow- shouldn't- shouldn't have happened."

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-This is a line-

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"Kelly. You're alright Kel, you're alright." Clint was happy to pass her off to a medic and grimaced in sympathy when her shirt was lifted to reveal the popped stitches of a gaping slice going from her hip bone to just under her armpit. It was bleeding profusely. "Damn, Jones, what'd you do? Pull some cartwheels?"

Kel glanced at Wanda, who was still supporting her right side, even as she watched the medics working on her brother intently. The woman with copper hair turned back to Clint, smiling past pain, "You know me, had to do a tumbling routine before I dealt with the stress of helping your pansy ass."

There was a sudden burst of activity around the speedster, it seemed he was actually trying to get up. Without even a word between them, Wanda and Kel moved towards him, leaving behind a protesting medic with gauze in hand.

The sister grabbed his hand, soothing him with a touch he'd known all his life, the other leaning over his face, looking him in the eyes. "Hey now, Handsome, you need to settle down. I can't undo what has been done." They realized the gold energy was cradling him again, Wanda looking at her with a deep sort of worry she hadn't felt for anyone other than Pietro since the death of their parents. "That means you need to let them take care of you, make you all better." She turned to the medics, "You need to up the pain killers."

"We're already giving him as much as is safe." It was a polite way to say ' _hell no_ ', she didn't care.

"His metabolism is much faster than you're used to. He can handle more, and he needs more if it's going to be at all effective before his body burns it right up." The medic who was acting as spoke's person looked ready to argue, but a new male voice pulled her up short.

"I'd listen to the lady, when it comes to speed- she knows her stuff." Kel flashed a grateful smile at Steve and turned at the feel of Wanda's hand against her shoulder.

"You have done enough. Please, rest." The guilt in Kel's heart pushed her to shake her head, but the Scarlet Witch wasn't taking a no for an answer. "I forgive you. Now rest." A flare of red and Kelly Jones was out like a light.


	2. Chapter 2: Time Is Cruel

**Time has certain rules, it obeys certain principles. Unless you're Kel- then that junk goes right out the window. Lucky, really, for the twins. OCxPietro**

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 **Wow, this had a very sudden reaction. I'm glad so many people seemed to like it. *grins***

 **Thank you to everyone who favorited/alerted. And a special thanks to** HalberdVixen **(Guest),** Enecs **,** Lies of a Silver Tongue **,** makeyouloveme **,** RMC **(Guest),** Diana A. Wolfe **,** intrepidity **,** wickegrl123 **,** sonsofdurin **, and** Eliizabethx **for the reviews!**

 **Here's chapter two.**

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 **T** **ime's Optional:**

 **Chapter Two- Time Is Cruel:**

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Kel sat stiffly on the edge of her sparse bed. Her fingers were tapping a rhythm on her thigh, a scowl pulling at her mouth. She was staring at her crutches.

The ones that were leaning against the wall on the other side of the room.

The empty room.

No doctors.

No nurses.

No anybody.

It was just her and the out of reach crutches.

She was debating the likelihood of her collapsing before she reached them and the pain levels involved. It wasn't looking good.

She didn't have the greatest level of flexibility at the moment, her middle wrapped so tight- she might as well be wearing a corset. And there was the brace on her right leg, limiting her range of motion significantly.

"And I'm on a floating ship. There's no way I'm the only one fresh off the Sokovia mission who's uncomfortable with that." A hand went to the bridge of her nose as she realized she was now thinking out loud- squeezing to relieve a headache that wasn't actually there.

"You are not." The accented voice had Kel jumping, she let out a yelp.

"Wanda!" The female Maximoff had managed to visit every day to see how she was doing, but Kel had yet to get used to the way the Scarlet Witch could appear out of nowhere. Her startlement was part of their routine.

A hand went to her side, attempting to sooth the pain caused by her sudden movement- it hurt so much more than it had that day in the doomed city, no longer dulled by adrenaline and purpose. Wanda frowned at the action, but was quick to conceal it before the agent could see- she knew by now that Kel hated being weak, and hated others knowing about it even more.

"How's your brother doing?" That was part of their routine as well, Wanda would visit her brother and then feel compelled to visit his savior- Kel inquiring after one of the many people she felt as though she'd failed. Through the mass of emotions and intentions- deserving, true, or not, there was a solid friendship being formed between the two women.

"He is well. Does not wish to stay in room any longer." This was followed by the exasperated roll of the eyes that was so iconic of an annoyed sibling. Kel bit back a grin. "Actually, I would not be surprised if he sneaks out and follows me this time." Wanda didn't mention how nervous her brother was to let her out of his sight- the close call had shaken him, and despite all they'd done, he still wasn't sure he trusted SHIELD.

She wasn't either, to be completely honest, but she found herself trusting Kel. That day- she'd been so distraught that she'd taken more than just surface thoughts. Read more than just the instructions to take all the bullets at once. To not touch the golden energy, lest she be affected as well.

She knew Kel.

Inside and out.

She trusted her.

"Do you need anything?"

Kel shrugged, her eyes drifting to the crutches, "Actually, do you think you could-"

She was interrupted- the sound was not quite a _buzz_ , not a _zip_ , nor was it a _whiz_. It was- motion. The sound of motion. The disturbance of air currents.

The whole room seemed to flutter and suddenly there was a third person present.

Wanda was right, he'd followed her this time.

Kel assessed him - _a bit ruffled looking, but not all that worse for wear_ \- and then found her knees very interesting. She'd not seen the male Maximoff since the mission- was happy about that for more than one reason. Frankly, she wasn't even sure he would remember her.

She needn't have worried, Pietro was looking at his sister- hadn't even registered the room, let alone the other person in it.

"-the old man won't leave me alone. Always bothering me." He was whining. It was amusing, the way he seemed to still be carrying on a conversation that he'd been having with Wanda before. It was the topic, though, that had Kel joining the exchange.

"Who? Clint? If you want to get back at him, just call him Legolas. Or Fluff-head. I like calling him some variation on Fluff-head." The speedster startled slightly, his gaze whipping around faster than she could follow. "I- We haven't actually met. I'm Kelly Jones. Most people just call me Kel?" Her voice drifted off to uncertainty by the end, unnerved under the speedster's unwavering gaze. She couldn't read those blue eyes of his.

His glance cut to his sister, communicating without words the way twins could. By the time his gaze swung back around Kel was staring at her knees again- though she could feel his gaze.

Before he could say anything, if he intended to say anything at all, the door to Kel's room swung open again and a fourth person joined the party. "Agent Jones."

"Ma- _shit_!" At the sight of Natasha Romanov, her commanding officer, Kel had attempted to straighten into the closest thing to a ready position that she could manage while sitting on a bed. Her side objected rather violently.

"I was going to ask if you were up for some training..." There was concern in her voice, but also a large amount of amusement, her eyes lighting up the way they only did when around someone she was comfortable with. "I see you've got a party going."

"Oh yeah, we were just discussing how to sneak in the DDR machines." Kel's voice had leveled out by the end, the pain gone, but no one missed the way she remained slightly hunched over, an arm hovering close to her left side. She glanced at Pietro, a pout pulling comically at her lips, "I'm super glad you're feeling better and everything, but how is it that you're in perfect health when my injuries are a few weeks older?"

For a moment his face remained stoic, eyes studying her intently, but suddenly his mouth pulled into a roguish smirk, eyes twinkling. "I think I am just lucky. Your scientists say I have an increased healing factor."

"Ah, that would make sense, actually. Your speed seems to exist on a cellular level, so faster healing is feasible. I wonder if Wanda has similar abilities- it could have less to do with your power, and more to do with how you got it... if so, Wanda would likely be the determining factor for that theory. Or it could be a secondary ability- perhaps triggered by the critical nature of your injuries? I wonder if something small, a mild bruise, would trigger-" Kel's eyes had lost focus, her mind taking her on an introspective path at this point. She missed the looks exchanged by everyone in the room.

"Kelly's something of a science geek." That was all the Black Widow said by way of explanation.

"Is that what she does? She is a scientist?" Pietro was watching her, saw when she came back to herself, the way her eyes changed.

They went hard. Empty. "No, I'm not. To quote a guy I know- I'm good at what I do. And what I do isn't very nice."

Wanda explained, "She is interrogator."

That was difficult for him to grasp. He remembered the kindness, the softness of the person before him as she soothed him. Saved him from death. The soul he saw in those green eyes- it wasn't made to hurt people. He could only just barely see it hiding behind the wall she'd put up.

"Speaking of." Natasha was in professional mode now, her previous joking manner set aside. "Fury has someone he'd like you to speak to. From the Echo mission."

Her jaw tightened, the wall in her eyes came down even harder- there were no outward reactions other than that. "Right."

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-This is a line.-

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The Echo mission.

Her mission.

The one that had resulted in her receiving the injuries she was currently sporting.

Kel leaned against her crutch, eyeing the man on the other side of the interrogation room. He looked a bit harried, but not nearly distressed enough. Not to her.

"You lived, I see." There was a disgusting, slimy grin on his face. "Shame. I could have gotten the whole set." Because she had been the only agent to leave that mission alive. The only one still breathing.

She did not react in any way that the man could see.

"A close call though, wasn't it? I remember the flash of your blood."

"Do you know why they call me Timewarp?" Her expression did not change, her voice was conversational, nonchalant. "Like how Clint is Hawkeye, and Steve is Captain America. Do you know why they call me that?"

She didn't wait for him to answer, just kept right on rolling. "Can you imagine what it's like to feel your heart stop in your chest? Feel each organ slowly fail, one by one? And still not die?" Her voice chilled, "Can you imagine what it would feel like to be held in a perpetual state of almost-death for hours? Days? Weeks?"

She blinked ever so slowly, her gaze as cold as her voice. "No, you don't look like the imaginative sort. Let me help you with that."

The room was filled with flickering golden light.

And screams.


	3. Chapter 3: Something About The Heart

**Time has certain rules, it obeys certain principles. Unless you're Kel- then that junk goes right out the window. Lucky, really, for the twins. OCxPietro**

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 **Okay, wow, so that was a lot of favorites/alerts and reviews. Let's see if I can get everyone. Special thanks go to:** Guest **,** TheArcherBow **,** AllyCatt12 **(Guest),** Diana A. Wolfe **,** Enecs **,** kimmy **(Guest),** EverRose808 **,** Savarra **,** Lies of a Silver Tongue **(as Guest),** ShinigamiReiko **(as Guest),** Lunas twin **,** Kat **(Guest) [You're either the only one who caught that, or the only one who thought to mention it. I think you might have some more clearly defined theories now? *winks*],** LeSenpai **(Guest),** DreamingOfMidnightStars **,** Eliizabethx **,** Guest **,** NESSAANCALIME6913 **,** ddmahan922 **,** Fenwin **(Guest),** 101 and more ways to fangirl **,** wickedgrl123 **, and** Guest **. Whew, I'm pretty sure that's everyone, if I missed you please let me know!**

 **Thank you everyone for your kind, encouraging, and constructive words. I hope you like this newest chapter, which gives you a better feel for Kel herself, and that you continue to enjoy this story. I'm sure some of you will notice references- please know that for the most part that's exactly what they are- references. Most of my story will exist in the MCU, but I though it might be fun to tip my hat at some of the other elements of the Marvel universe. (I'm also kind of screwing with comic-book-time. Just so you know.)**

 **Anywho, here's chapter three.**

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 **Time's Optional:**

 **Chapter Three- Something About The Heart:**

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Coming out of interrogation was always such a weird feeling, like getting out of a car after a long ride and stretching, only it was her mind- not her body. Kel wondered if a flower had a similar feeling when it bloomed.

All her senses and emotions, her core existence- they woke up. Shook off the walled place she put them in, to protect them while she did what needed to be done.

Interrogators- there was more than one kind, and each had their own failings.

Natasha came at you sideways, she was slippery, could slide through the tiniest crack. That was not to say the Black Widow was incapable of applying force, she just preferred to take what you didn't realize you were giving. It had the unintended result of leaving her constantly on the job- anything useful was filed away, even when she didn't intend to collect.

Kel was different.

She could be manipulative, sure- was even good at it. What she was best at, however, was not _finding_ the cracks- it was in pushing until the cracks revealed themselves. Widening them. Splitting you open. It left dark places in her mind- a residue that she was forced to box up if she wanted to behave normally. Like Banner, she was afraid of losing her temper- it was so easy once she slipped into the dark place to see how someone would come undone.

There was something truly terrifying about feeling your own heart stop beating in your chest.

She'd actually done it to herself once, back when her power first developed- unintentionally, of course. It was pure luck she'd been at the Institute at the time- everything, every _one_ , needed to save her was on hand, otherwise she would have died at the tender age of thirteen.

Six months after that was the first time she killed someone with her ability.

It was also the last time she killed someone without meaning to. Mostly because the Professor assigned her a keeper- someone who could sense the temporal shifts caused by her power and could remain unaffected by it. Not that he called the man a _keeper_ , but Kel wasn't exactly slow, even at that age, so it didn't take much thought to realize what was going on.

She was quick to learn control over her power, realizing so early in her development the potential for violence she suddenly possessed.

She jumped onto SHIELD's radar pretty quickly, her ability practically tailor-made for assassinations. They wanted to recruit her early, begin her training- though they claimed they wouldn't put her into the field until she was a good bit older. Not that she believed _that_ for a second- they kept pushing though.

She refused.

In some ways, her ability operated on a very intimate level. Being an assassin... psychologically, it would have affected her in a _very_ negative way. The Professor backed her, and SHIELD stepped off. For a while.

They came knocking again when she hit seventeen.

It was the first time she met Nick Fury. The incident was... interesting, to say the least.

" _Jones_!" Kel blinked, her head jerking back slightly. Before her was a large gathering of people, unsurprising, since she was standing in one of the main entrances of the command deck. They were all staring. She wondered if there was some Avengers meeting she was currently interrupting- the only members missing were Thor and Banner.

Her gaze gravitated to Quicksilver almost instinctively, swiftly jumping to his sister beside him when she met his blue eyes. She clamped down on the urge to blush, as she always seemed to be doing whenever she was in proximity to him.

With his mere existence, Pietro Maximoff managed to inspire a myriad of emotions within her. Something which was not exactly ideal for a SHIELD agent, especially not a junior one.

"Is there a reason you're here Miss Jones?" Her attention swung to Fury, who did not _appear_ to be any more irritated than usual. She shifted awkwardly against her crutches, feeling not unlike a child standing before a displeased parent.

"I was ordered to report to you at the conclusion of my interrogation if I discovered anything of note, Sir." _What was it about the one eye that was so intimidating? He should have given off the vibe of a ridiculous, leather-loving pirate wanna-be._ By this point, most of her audience had gone back to whatever they were doing before she arrived, though Natasha moved closer to join the conversation.

"What did you find out?" The Spider was almost as eager to find something usable as Kel, herself, was. Natasha didn't get attached easily, but she and Clint had become attached to the younger agent- they had not been happy to hear about what went down during the Echo mission.

"Not much, Ma'am, unfortunately. He confirmed HYDRA's involvement, and he gave me a name. A rising star, it would seem, a man named Richard. He either didn't know the last name, or even my methods of persuasion weren't enough to get him talking. For all his blustering and smarm, he's little more than a grunt, so I'm leaning towards the former rather than the latter." Kel was leaning a bit more heavily on her crutches, though she tried to hide it, the fatigue of the day catching up to her. She'd only been let loose about three times since the Sokovia mission, and that usually only after being fussed over by her attending physician. She tired quickly.

The director looked contemplative, plans clearly running through his mind, "Perhaps Maximoff could take a look inside his head, see if-"

"Absolutely not." Fury's brow lifted and he stared her down, though she showed no outward signs of distress- she wilted a little internally. "Wanda hasn't had her powers all that long."

"You don't think she could do it?" The twins were listening intently, Pietro tight with protective defensiveness, although he was smirking at his sister to conceal it as they pretended not to notice the discussion at hand.

"To the contrary, I believe she's more than capable. You're forgetting, I _hope_ , that she has neither the training nor the experience necessary to protect herself. Especially after what he just went through." _What I just did to him_ , was the unspoken statement. "If you really feel this needs a psychic's touch, then I'm sure I could make some calls... but if you won't think in Wanda's best interest, I will." If not because of their burgeoning friendship, then because she was a fellow powered individual. Kel stood strong, her jaw set stubbornly, no sign of the fear she felt at defying the director of SHIELD showing, not even in her eyes.

Fury was silent, his gaze studying her intently. He glanced at Romanov, whose slight shift towards Jones indicated her willingness to back the young agent, and then at the twins, who were no longer even pretending not to listen. Then he looked back down at one of his youngest agents, and he... well, he didn't smile- wasn't really the type, but it felt rather like a smile.

"An excellent point. Glad to see she has someone so steadfast in her corner."

He knew Kel was loyal, it's why she was an agent of SHIELD even when SHIELD no longer officially existed, but sometimes he had his doubts about her strength. At twenty-two, she was _the_ youngest agent to achieve level _seven_ security clearance, but it seemed as though she always followed orders, to the letter, and never voiced any disagreement. That was the makings of a good agent. Fury wanted her to be a great one, and the reality was that sometimes that meant ignoring orders and doing what you thought was right.

"Thank you." She managed not to sound questioning, though she did feel confused. _Was that a test? Had she just passed some sort of test by_ disagreeing _with him?_ There were times when the director left her feeling a bit punch-drunk.

"Get some rest Agent, I expect a report on my desk no later than 0900 tomorrow. Afterwards, you can get into contact with Agent Woo on the Behemoth to see if they have any information on who this Richard might be." He turned to go back to the table the Avengers were grouped around, pausing at the twins. "Why don't you make sure she gets to her room without collapsing." It was not actually a request, though it was unclear which Maximoff it was directed at.

The siblings exchanged a look, Pietro smirking and Wanda shooting him a warning glare before the speedster was suddenly standing in front of Kel. "Going up." That was the only warning she had before the impulsive young man scooped her up, crutches and all.

She wasn't able to think straight again until he was cautiously setting her down beside her bed. His eyes were laughing, it was the only way to describe the way those blues twinkled.

"That was- ...A bit more warning next time, huh?" She was panting as though _she'd_ been the one to run half the length of the Helicarrier in under a minute, which was more than a little embarrassing.

"Thank you." Kel froze at those words, something in her chest clenching- when she looked into his face it was to see all humor gone.

"What for?" She smiled tightly, her tone managing to be nonchalant.

He studied her- he always seemed to be studying her- that, or smirking at her. He wanted to thank her for saving his life, but Wanda had warned him off it- said it would only upset her. "My sister."

It was all he needed to say for the tightness to go away, she smiled at him- the first happy smile she'd ever sent his way. "Any time."

He smiled back. It made something in her chest warm.


	4. Chapter 4: A Matter Of Scale

**Time has certain rules, it obeys certain principles. Unless you're Kel- then that junk goes** right **out the window. Lucky, really, for the twins. OCxPietro**

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 **The fluff, I couldn't resist. This chapter's short, sorry, but I wanted to get something out for you all. I've got finals and (late) papers due for school.**

 **I'll came back later and add my thank-yous. Next chapter will be longer, promise.**

 **(Edit) Okay, so, let's see if I can't get everybody that reviewed, hmm? Thanks go out to** NESSAANCALIME6913 **,** nevah nyrum **,** Hailey-Stone **,** Enecs **,** All-Things-Fandom-101 **,** ddmahan922 **,** Alazensupernuke **,** Fortune's Fool 1597 **,** Lies of a Silver Tongue **,** Guest **,** Guest **,** wickedgrl123 **(In answer to your question- yes and no. I have some plans in regards to their powers. Mwahaha! ;D You're the only one to mention the reference, so, kudos to you.),** Slake13 **,** Twistedfangirl **,** Jaxrond **(Glad you liked it. I'm happy to provide 'OH HECK YES!' moments.),** Eliizabethx **(I'm glad I could make your ick day better.),** gingerstrikesagain **,** little-red-wolf-5793 **,** Loki's Awesome Mortal Wife **, and** ShipsThatFly **. You guys are awesome, you have no idea how big my smile gets when I read your reviews. Seriously, y'all are great.**

 **And thanks to everyone who favorited/alerted. I hope you enjoy the story.**

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 **Time's Optional:**

 **Chapter Four- A Matter Of Scale:**

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Kel was focused very intently on the bullet- the one Black Widow had shot at her.

Gleaming, with all the deadly force a bullet could have- it was in line with her heart.

It was floating in the air about two feet away from her.

Frozen- _well, not_ precisely _frozen_ \- in almost the exact same place as it had been an hour ago.

It would have been a simple matter to step aside and release the bullet once she was in the clear, but that wasn't the point of this exercise. This was all about endurance.

Endurance, and focus.

She wasn't sure which was more distracting, the bullets going into the targets next to her, or the sight of Sam, Steve, and Pietro working out at the far end of the range. After much inner debate, she finally settled on the bullets, but that was mostly because she was too far away to really get an eyeful of the guys.

There was sweat rolling down her back, and her eyes ached, but she hadn't wavered yet.

There were some chronopaths who were very powerful. Mutant or otherwise, the ability to manipulate time was a fearsome skill. The thought that there were people out there capable of creating whole _realities_ based around things they used their power to change- it was frightening, even to her. That the Professor said that _theoretically_ she had the potential to do that one day, with enough focus and practice... Like most students and ex-students, Kel both adored and respected the Professor in equal measure, but she wished he would keep shit like that to himself.

The fact was- she wasn't that powerful.

Fact was- she didn't _want_ to be.

Kel worked small scale, and she _liked_ working small scale. She was all about precision.

She could speed things up.

Could slow them down- could make things move so slowly that they appeared not to move at all, but _that_ was just a matter of perception.

When focused, and rested, she could- say- freeze several bullets and allow them to be removed from a body one by one. When tired, or _un_ focused, her temporal fields had the tendency to bleed over into anything that touched them. It sapped her energy, drained her dry- like a phone running multiple apps at the same time, but if she was already in a bad way- there was no stopping it without releasing everything at once.

And that could be deadly in more ways than one.

Thus the practice.

Kel was standing straight, feet shoulders' width apart, hands at her sides. She didn't have to look to know that the golden energy that characterized her temporal fields was winding around her arms in that way that was so reminiscent of a cat or a snake. She could almost feel the prickle of it on her skin.

She finally stepped aside another thirty-five minutes later when a metallic taste coated the back of her throat, turning her head to wipe the blood from her nose before anyone noticed it. It was her passive, secondary gift which tended to put such stress on her mind- the blood was caused by a minor hemorrhage.

The Professor called it ' _sensory telepathy_ ', which was the quick and easy way of saying she could sense the _Cosmic_ _Stuff_ each and every thing was made out of. It was an abstract idea at best, and impossible to quantify. She didn't see things any differently than anyone else, couldn't even picture it. It was a gut thing- something to be felt in the bones, no thought needed.

It was what allowed her to grab bullets and blood, but not organs.

It was what made the heart her first target when fighting a living thing.

She knew it, like she knew how to breathe.

Kel heard Natasha call out, but the spy was too far away, and Kel too tired, to make it out. Next thing she knew, she was on the other side of the room- off the firing range- with an arm around her and her side pressed against something warm, sweaty, and very, very male. She didn't need to hear the accent to know exactly who was touching her.

There was, she was sure, a swear in a language she didn't understand, then a surprisingly gentle voice was directed at her, "You are alright?"

This time, the blush was an inevitable, unstoppable force.

 _Damn it._

* * *

*Pietro's POV*

* * *

He couldn't quite pinpoint the exact moment that he realized she was attracted to him- she was so good at behaving in a completely professional way, but he knew that she was. He liked that she was.

He was inundated by the urge to flirt, and tease, as he had with so many other pretty girls back in Sokovia, but for once, he wasn't being impulsive. For one thing, Wanda might _actually_ hurt him- not badly, of course, but still- if he damaged her friendship with the agent in even the most indirect way. For another, he got the feeling it would make her uncomfortable, and not in the good way.

And of course, there was the matter of her saving his life.

Pietro had never been on such uncertain footing with a woman before, but Kel always managed to make him feel off-balance. He couldn't figure her out.

He was powerfully aware of her, nerves always lighting up when they were in the same room- skin prickling when her eyes were on him. He might have been sparring with the Captain and the Falcon, but he was very aware of the fact that she was just across the room. There might have been a little showing off happening because of it.

Pietro was also acutely aware of the fact that she was standing on the business end of a firing range, and he was quite uncomfortable with that information. He kept one part of his attention trained on that side of the room instinctively, so he was quick to react when she stepped out of the path of one bullet, and into the path of another.

He panicked, much like he did when his sister was in danger- it was the controlled panic of ' _do now, think later_ '. He had her in his arms before he'd even fully registered the danger.

He was concerned when Kel wouldn't look at him, ducking his face down to her level in an attempt to catch her eyes. She turned away, but not before he caught sight of the bright red blush staining her cheeks.

His stomach went a bit twitchy, and he felt a purely masculine smugness as he realized she was blushing because of him.

The flirting, rakish smirk that appeared on his lips was instant- he didn't even try to suppress it. "I believe you owe me a thank you," his voice was a bit deeper, a bit smoother- his accent just a touch thicker. "I did just save your life."

Pietro was disappointed when she pulled away, though the deepening red on her cheeks softened the sting, Kel scoffed- still looking anywhere but at him. "Saved me from a bit of pain, maybe, but I would have been alright." The other occupants of the room were watching this exchange from the edges, trading suspicious looking smiles.

Her rebuff had his smirk falling, a pout pulling at his lips- not that he would ever admit to it. Kel shot another glance around the room, everyone suddenly showing great interest in things far away from the two of them- and then peeked at him from the corner of her eye. He heard a sigh, and then he felt a brief, soft pressure on his cheek. She pulled back, breath fanning across his neck as she came down off her toes. "Thanks, Handsome."

He was gone before she could notice the tint to his face.


	5. Chapter 5: Girl's Day

**Time has certain rules, it obeys certain principles. Unless you're Kel- then that junk goes** right **out the window. Lucky, really, for the twins. OCxPietro**

* * *

 **Okay, so, it's not** _that_ **much longer... Thanks to everyone who wished me luck on my finals (** Lemons246 **and** wickedgrl123 **), I'm pretty sure I did well. (I'm one of those people who psych themselves out, so I go through cycles of being sure I made an A to being positive I failed completely. Historically, it's usually the former.)**

 **Uh, soooo my writing program is having issues... I'm dyslexic, so I rely kind of heavily on my spell check. Right now, my spell check says that literally every word on this document is spelled incorrectly. (It's not fun opening my document only to be faced with lines and lines of red.) I think I caught all the typos, but if you see some, please let me know.**

 **Right! Now that that bit of unpleasantness is out of the way- thanks go out to everybody that favorited/alerted, I hope you're enjoying this story.**

 **Special thanks go out to** Lemons246 **,** Guest **,** The Below Average **,** Alazensupernuke **,** Fortune's Fool 1597 **(I'm glad you like how I did her powers so much.),** Enecs **(The fact that my fanfiction has you fangirling makes me beyond happy.),** themoonlitknight **,** Hailey-Stone **(Not going to lie, your review cracked me up.),** Cyanide Siren **,** intrepidity **,** Savarra **,** ddmahan922 **(Not to worry, I have plans.),** ShipsThatFly **,** Little Bucky **,** Amelia St. Claire **,** Obsessive Reader **(Guest),** Lunas twin **,** Eliizabethx **,** wickedgrl123 **(Thanks. *grins* I haven't actually gotten to see it yet, I'm behind by a few episodes. School. Blek.),** LostRebel **,** ArandoraStar **,** electrogirl88 **,** Lady Krystalyn **, and** Jag **(Guest).**

 **My face was actually hurting at one point because I was smiling so much from all your wonderful reviews. I don't think you'll like me for this chapter, but I'm sorry- not sorry.**

* * *

 **Time's Optional:**

 **Chapter Five- Girl's Day:**

* * *

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing." Natasha didn't actually respond to that, but Kelly was used to the redhead's stoicism, so she could read the disbelief in her eyes. "..." And she should disbelieve- there was nothing innocuous about the way Kel was hiding behind the corner. She was clearly waiting for Pietro to leave the vicinity.

She'd been dodging the speedster all week, ever since she'd been so unprofessional as to place a kiss on his cheek. _What was she thinking_? She wasn't, clearly. No one had said anything, but she would swear she could almost _feel_ Fury's gaze digging into her back.

And, okay, she was embarrassed.

She'd gone from the Institute, where she was focused on controlling her powers, to SHIELD, where working relations were as attached as you should get- they didn't directly say that, but it was a known fact that they preferred their agents without any other priorities. Like friends, children, or significant others. She was old enough to understand her own emotions, and thus realized how she felt about the handsome Sokovian, but she'd never really dealt with attraction outside of a mission before. Wasn't really sure what to do.

She knew she had a problem.

Realized it about three days ago when she resorted to barrel rolling past a doorway so he wouldn't see her. It was not her finest moment. _Well, she_ executed _the roll perfectly, and no one saw her do it, she just- that she had done it at all..._

The Black Widow just rolled her eyes and went around, heading to the quinjet she would be piloting. Kel squirmed, but finally she just steeled her nerves and came trotting out as though she hadn't been hiding like a child for the past five minutes. She slowed as she reached the Maximoffs, unsure of how to best respond to the way Pietro was all but hovering over his sister, as though he could keep her from going on the mission through the sheer power of his will.

She decided humor was the best course of action, a grin layering on top of the Agent mask, which was layered on top of her uncertainty. "Don't get so worked up, this'll be easy, it's just a girl's day. I mean, Tony's coming, but, well actually, like I said- it's a girl's day." She threw an arm around Wanda's shoulder, the grin becoming more genuine as she looked at the younger twin. "We'll probably stop and get our nails done before we get back. God knows Tony could use a manicure." She ignored the indignant noise coming from Stark as though she couldn't hear it at all.

Pietro took a step back, eyes sweeping over them both, his face went unreadable as she watched, increasing her nervousness towards him. She could still see the worry in his eyes though- and it made her want to reassure him. "Look, if things get hinky, I've got her. Promise."

* * *

*Pietro's POV*

* * *

Though that shouldn't have soothed him so much, she was just one person, after all- it did.

 _I got you, Handsome_. The memory went through his mind in an instant, an echo of their first meeting. It brought a sense of comfort and security. If he couldn't be there- he knew, at least, that Wanda was in good hands.

"You be careful also." He ignored the suspicious glint in his sister's eyes as they darted from him to the agent and back. He'd not told her about the kiss. It didn't feel like one of his conquests, but he wasn't sure he could talk about it without making it sound that way, and he didn't want Wanda getting the wrong idea.

That in itself was something of a first- worrying that his sister would get the _wrong_ idea. Normally, Wanda understood him perfectly, but since _he_ wasn't sure he understood, it wouldn't exactly be fair to expect _her_ to. Her eyebrows climbed and he realized that either he was projecting, or his sister was reading him. He settled his mind, tried to calm his thoughts.

"I- of course." She wouldn't quite meet his eyes, which was more than a little frustrating. Pietro wasn't an idiot, he'd realized Kel was dodging him, but what he couldn't figure out was why.

Well... he knew why, but not _why_.

The Black Widow called from within the jet, letting them know that it was time to go, so he shook off the thoughts and scooped Wanda into a hug. He was still worried, this would be the first mission they ever did seperatly and the memory of almost dying filled his head. The fear that it would be her... He pressed a kiss to the top of his sister's head, whispering a quiet _Good Luck_ in their native tongue and stepped back.

His eyes darted to Kel and he repeated the phrase without thinking, only registering that he'd done so when he saw the confusion on her face. She still wouldn't meet his eyes though, so he decided he didn't feel like translating- the irritation bubbling again.

Wanda and Kel boarded the quinjet, Stark deciding to fly under his own power and meet them there- muttering something about a rude _Timeturner_ as he took off. Pietro waited until they were out of sight, then he was racing to the gym.

* * *

*This Be A Line*

* * *

It was kind of weird.

He was so used to the feel of his sister brushing against his mind, not even reading it, just a sort of- ' _Here I am, there you are_ ,' thing. It made him jumpy, not feeling it now.

They'd been gone for just under half an hour, but to him it already felt like days.

It had him jittery, uncomfortable, worried and agitated.

He pushed himself harder, ran faster.

He'd been on the track for at least fifteen minutes, just running and running- anything to get rid of the nervous energy building up inside of him. They'd noticed something about their powers, he and Wanda, as time went on it became even easier. Where he'd been winded after getting people safely out of the path of an out of control train, now he could go twice as long without feeling even the slightest bit fatigued.

That said, fifteen minutes straight was pushing it- he finally fumbled to a stop, breaths heaving.

Time had always been fond of him, and it showed that favor again- he'd stopped at just the right moment to hear Kel's name spoken by a voice he didn't recognize. He was off without a thought.

"She left just a little bit ago- should be back in a few hours. She didn't say you'd be coming." Clint was talking to a man Pietro was unfamiliar with- tall and broad, and darkly tan, with pitch black hair hanging loose almost to his shoulders.

"She wouldn't. Kel didn't know I was coming. Thought I'd surprise her." It was when the man glanced at him that Pietro realized the stranger was more than he appeared. Where Pietro's eyes were blue, this man's were a dark pink, almost red. "We haven''t seen one another in far too long."

He wasn't entirely sure he liked the way that sounded.

* * *

*Kel's POV*

* * *

"So what is deal with my brother?" When that was the first thing Wanda said once they were in the air, Kel knew it was going to be a long flight.

"I don't know what you're talking about." A quiet snort from the pilot's seat had her scowling at the back of a certain red head.

 _Killing Natasha is a bad idea._

 _Killing Natasha is a bad idea._

 _Killing Natasha is a bad idea._

Who was she kidding?

 _Trying to kill Natasha is a bad idea._

"I think I do not believe you." It was said firmly, but with gentleness, as though to keep from spooking her.

"Couldn't you just, I don't know, _pretend_ to believe me? For me? Please?" Because she already knew, if Wanda persisted- she would tell her the truth.

The Scarlet Witch didn't say anything, simply looked at her ever-so calmly. She could have pried further, or attempted to read Kel's mind, but she didn't. She just sat there expectantly.

It was the gentle smile, however, which finally had Kel blurting out the first thing to come to mind. "I kissed your brother!" And then she was backtracking, stuttering and stumbling over her words. "Only on the cheek! I mean, he'd just-" That damn, soothing smile- Kel told her everything that'd happened.

The occassional dry, teasing chimes of ' _They were so cute_ ,' and other such comments from the front didn't help with the blush she was trying to beat back.

Wanda didn't say anything until the young agent was finished, face carefully neutral. "I love him, but my brother- Pietro likes pretty girls. He is a good flirt. This is different, I think- but... you should be careful."

A part of her was happy, she liked Kel and of course she wanted her brother to be happy, but without knowing for sure what his intentions were... Pietro could be so impulsive, and it seemed to get worse the more his power developed- Wanda was afraid he would get both himself and Kel into trouble.

"Oh. Well... that's really not surprising." Had she basically just admitted to finding him good looking? To his sister? "He seems really confident, I mean. He seems like the type who wouldn't be shy." That was better. Another scoff from Natasha, though, had her doubting the skill of her recovery.

She hadn't really had any hopes, so why did Wanda's words have a niggling feeling of disappointment blooming in her chest?

Kel didn't have time to think on it any further- they had arrived.

It was time to go to work.


	6. Chapter 6: Been Too Long

**Time has certain rules, it obeys certain principles. Unless you're Kel- then that junk goes** right **out the window. Lucky, really, for the twins. OCxPietro**

* * *

 **Well, my spell check is still on the frits, so, again- if you see typos, please let me know.**

 **There is so much love for this story! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. *grins* And you guys really seem to like Kel and her powers, I'm very glad to hear that. Okay! *claps hands* First, I want to thank everyone who favorited/alerted, glad you like the story.**

 **Special thanks go out to** Lemons246 **,** icansleepwhenimdead **(Don't die! The fluff must happen, but you need to stay with us, okay?),** ddmahan922 **(Gal Pals! Yay!),** Little Bucky **,** Savarra **,** ArandoraStar **(Sorry for the false alarm, no sexy Cajuns in this chapter. Maybe some other time...),** Huntress-in-the-Tardis **(Hopefully you can breathe a little easier now.),** tardiscompanion101 **,** wickedgrl123 **(Ah, your review made me grin, I was hoping her barrel rolling would get a few laughs.),** Guest **(Guest),** NorseGoddess23 **,** Alice-Ann Wonderland **(Welcome to the party. *grins* Hopefully this was soon enough.),** ShipsThatFly **,** TheLovelyBirds **,** Alicecreed1010 **,** jpgFury **,** Jag **(as Guest) (Next chapter, promise.),** Fortune's Fool 1597 **, and** Roc2Roll **.**

 **You guys are all completely awesome, and your reviews make my day. Seriously.**

 **Anywho, hope y'all enjoy the new chapter.**

* * *

 **Time's Optional:**

 **Chapter Six- Been Too Long:**

* * *

"Damn!" A quick flare of golden energy and the man who'd just got in a lucky shot fell dead at Kelly's feet. She carefully rotated her jaw, making sure she could do so without crippling pain. It gave a twinge, but seemed to be fine.

It would bruise.

"Language." It was a mirthful chime in her ear- she rolled her eyes. Clint had shared the story when she became frustrated after hearing the obvious inside joke one too many times, and she now understood why Steve always looked so chagrined when it was brought up.

"He's not even here, Tony." She ducked under another HYDRA agent's guard, putting a gauntleted fist into his throat with a hard thrust that crushed the windpipe and dropped him instantly. "I don't see the point of the joke if he's not even here to be embarrassed by it." That was an out-and-out lie, she knew Tony said it because he liked to be reminded of his own wit.

She got along well enough with the tech genius, but she was not immune to the irritation that could be induced every time the man-child opened his mouth.

"What's the matter, Timeturner? You sound grumpy. Did someone forget to eat their Wheaties this morning?" Kel ducked into a roll as she dodged flying building parts.

" _Watch where you fling shit!_ " A breath, another HYDRA agent biting the dust- she was calmer the next time she spoke. "I'd like to reduce the number of things I have to dodge, if you would be so kind."

"Sorry, kid." It didn't _sound_ very sorry, but debris did start falling away from her more often than not.

"How are you doing Natasha?" A quick glance to check on Wanda- the Scarlet Witch was throwing baddies around left, right, and center. She sidestepped a knife swipe- another gleam of golden light and the HYDRA agent's heart burst in her chest. Sorta.

"I need a few more minutes."

 _Right_.

Because Kel _loved_ running around as the distraction with all the bad guys trying to kill her while the Black Widow hacked their computers. It was at the top of her list of Favorite Things.

"Remind me why I'm out here while _she's_ doing the hacking?" It seemed Tony had a similar train of thought.

"One- because you drew the short stick. Two-" Another dodge, another foe ate dirt. "because the initial plan was stealth, and you are anything but subtle. That reminds me- Wanda, let's fall back a little, let them think they're pushing us." As long as the Bads thought they could win, they wouldn't resort to abandoning the base and wiping the files.

Wanda didn't respond verbally, but soon enough the women were fighting side-by-side as they slowly gave up ground.

They worked well together, Wanda keeping the enemy back from a distance, Kel quick to take down anyone who slipped through the Scarlet Witch's guard. The SHIELD agent was relying heavily on hand-to-hand fighting skills, though occasionally she would draw a gun. If she could avoid killing someone with her powers, she would do so.

It was one thing to feel people dying. It was another altogether to be more or less psychically attached to them as she killed them, feeling their life-force as it was snuffed out by her own energy.

"Watch your flank, Timeturner, you've got a group trying to slip in behind you." She heeded the advice, and ignored the following complaint about sounding too much like the Cap in that last sentence. " _Incoming!_ "

She tackled Wanda out of the way, the area filled with red crackles and golden wisps as they defended against the explosion. "Tell me you've got that handled?" Judging by the way they were both panting, the next mortar round would be too much for them.

" _Annnnnd_ done!" There was an explosion- Ironman flew over them in an ostentatious flare.

"Thanks. How we doing, Nat?" There was a crackle over the radio, but the Widow didn't say anything for a long and uncomfortable moment.

"Also done. Time to clean up."

" _Finally_." She and Wanda immediately shifted, going from giving ground to taking it. The mission was not to take out the base, and they wouldn't, but by unspoken agreement, they pushed to do as much damage as they could while they waited for the Black Widow to fall back to the designated location.

"Let's go, kids." The sound of the Quinjet's engines whining in the background told them all they needed to know. Wanda cleared the path with Kel guarding her back, carefully protecting her friend.

They weren't even fully off the ground before she was asking the question that had been pressing in on her from the moment the Widow was in their system. "Anything?" Because Agent Woo hadn't had anything for her, but he _was_ able to bring the location of this base to her attention.

"Yeah," Natasha tossed her a flash drive which she was quick to plug into the terminal nearest her. "but you're not going to like it."

She didn't.

Richard's last name was Fisk.

* * *

 ***This Be A Line***

* * *

By the time they touched down the left side of Kel's jaw was greenish-purple, aching, and kind of swollen. She was not in the best mood. So she was not exactly _thrilled_ to find Clint waiting for her with news that she had a guest, especially since he wouldn't even tell her who it was.

Her glance slid to Pietro, who was examining his sister for any injuries, and then further, finally alighting on the massive figure standing near the door. He was watching her with an impassive face, but even from across the room she could see the warm look in his eyes.

All complaints and pains and thoughts fled from her mind.

She dropped the dignified air of an agent, let out a laugh that was all joy and childish excitement, and took a running start before launching herself into his arms. " _Pink Eyes! You- I haven't seen you in forever! You're here!_ " He was laughing loudly, deeply, and holding her as she wrapped her legs and arms around him- she was completely oblivious to everyone else in the hanger. "I missed you." The last was a quiet whisper, for his ears alone, and he responded with a quiet rumble and the gentle press of his forehead against hers.

* * *

 ***Pink Eyes POV***

* * *

"And I, you." She might have been oblivious to the others, but he was not.

He saw the young man with silver tipped hair watching them with a disquieted expression, his eyes almost angry. The brown haired girl, sister- his nose told him, had a calming hand on his chest. Through the comforting expression on her face, she looked oddly relieved at his reaction.

He turned his attention back to the woman in his arms. "I'm sorry I was not able to come sooner, I was visiting Marea."

He didn't need to explain any more than that- his sister's mate had them living in the far side of nowhere, and he basically fell off the face of the earth when he went to see them.

Kel pulled back with a grin, "And how is dear Marea?"

He didn't respond, a low rumble filled his chest as he shifted to hold her with one arm and brush the fingers of his free hand against her jaw. She grimaced, but waved away his concern. "Somebody got in a lucky hit, that's all. I'm fine." He glared down at her reproachfully, but while she deflated slightly, she stood by her words.

"You need ice." He paid no attention to her protest, carrying her to the nearest break room to take care of her injury. He did, however, notice the blur that rushed by as they were leaving the hanger and a glance back showed the woman standing alone with an expression of exasperation, concern, and amusement on her face. The expression fell away into a warm smile when a red robot-man stepped closer to speak with her. He felt immense power radiating from the yellow gem set into the red being's head.

Kel squirmed, trying to escape his hold. He turned his attention back onto her, letting loose another rumble- this time in amusement. She was always amusing him. He shook his head with a fond laugh and hefted her higher.

He'd missed this little one.

"It has been too long." Samson Miller was old. Older than he looked. The year they'd spent apart meant little when measured against the span of his life, but for the little one it was an age. Such a short time to him, and yet, she seemed so much older.

Yes, it had been far too long.


End file.
